Chapter Text
“How much longer till the girls get here?” Dick whined in boredom, a pout about to form in his mouth.
Dick, Tim, and Jason have finished doing their rounds of volunteer work. The three of them are all waiting by the park for the Babs, Cass, and Stephanie. Duke and Damian are already with them since they finished their tasks for the animal shelter, the two sat at a different bench.
Tim pulled out his phone to check out his messages. “Well Cass texted me that they’ll be over in fifteen minutes.” He checked the time. “That’s been fourteen minutes ago – they’ll be over at any mi-”
“Hey guys!” Stephanie loudly greeted from afar as she started to jog towards them, waving her arm as she approached.
Dick was first to stand up to greet the girls, and excitedly walked behind Babs to catch up with her about their bonding day with the kids at the orphanage. Cass followed the pair as they went to the bench.
Babs happily greeted the boys a Merry Christmas .
Damian nodded to her. “Right back at yah.” Jason said to the older woman. Tim and Duke greeted her back.
Jason stood up when Cass walked over, letting her sit on his spot, and went towards Stephanie.
“Hey, you.” The blonde grinned at him.
“Hey to you too, blondie.” He smiled at her. “How’re the little menaces?”
Steph chuckled at his inquiry. “I should be asking you that.” She joked, knowing that he and Tim volunteered to play basketball with the boys at a local public high school.
Jason shrugged. “In my defense, I’m just a pretty good player. It’s not my fault that the kids couldn’t keep up.”
The two shared the events of their evening. How Lucius made sure that the high schoolers enjoyed the basketball match so Jason rolled with it and the fun snowman competition Stephanie helped with that Babs was assigned as the judge of.
Jason and Steph walked over to the bench where Dick, Tim, and Cass were at; with Babs just beside Dick.
“Merry Christmas.” Cass shot him with a smile, a mirthful twinkle in her eyes.
Jason returned a small smile, “Yeah, you too.”
With that exchange, Cass resumed her conversation with Tim. Picking up where they left off about the mechanics of basketball since she was curious about the game.
Steph sat by the metal arm of the bench, comfortably laying her back against Cass’s side. Jason on the other hand, just laid against the back of the bench by the middle – right behind Tim. After a couple of minutes, enough for the girls to have enough rest, Babs and Dick rounded up everyone so that they could all walk the rest of the way together to the manor.
They all walked in pairs. Duke and Damian leading, followed by Dick and Babs, then Cass and Tim, and lastly with Jason and Stephanie.
“Sooo,” Steph playfully nudged his shoulder. “You excited for Christmas dinner?”
“Are you kidding?” Jason breathed out in awe. “If Alfred likes Thanksgiving, he loves Christmas. That’s pretty much his love language: cooking.”
That last sentence made Steph look forward to the Christmas dinner even more. “Ugh, now you’re making me feel hungrier.”
On the walk to the manor, Jason and Steph stuck close to each other. Like a pair of magnets, the two were consistently close to the other’s side. It was comforting – especially for Steph’s part.
It’s a recent realization for her that Jason is actually a walking furnace. Despite the layers or the jacket he’s wearing right now, Jason radiates a warmth that Stephanie can’t help but feel drawn into. Perhaps it’s not really a recent realization, she’s been gravitating towards him more and more these past couple of months. And it was a nice change in their once non-existent relationship.
Before they became friends, they used to only address each other by their codenames. Their past conversations simply ranged from a grunt of acknowledgment up to one full sentence, two if they’re feeling generous. It was nothing personal – they were just distant. They didn’t really have that much of a connection back then. But it’s nice, seeing how far they’ve come in just a span of a few months.
Christmas has always been one of Stephanie’s favorite holidays. The cheery atmosphere and all the décor around the city, colorful lights and thoughtfully decorated Christmas trees. And the delicious food prepared as well as getting to enjoy said food with your loved ones. And gift giving! The very idea of Christmas is just something that Steph really likes. There have been some tough times, so she didn’t really get to enjoy it every year, but things are getting better now. She’s in a better place now and she gets to enjoy it with Jason’s company this year.
But boy is Jason in a different situation compared to Stephanie. Don’t get him started on how Christmas season is one of the coldest seasons of the year. Back when he was younger, it’s a miracle if he could keep his toes from falling off when it was freezing. Thanksgiving is tolerable for him but Christmas is a different level for him. Sure, the food is great on both occasions, but Jason doesn’t really see the full point of the hype about both holidays. For Christmas, there’s this unspoken rule where you’re expected to be happy, even if you’re not, and he loathes it.
Jason suddenly felt gloved fingers touch the area between his eyebrows, lightly rubbing the small space.
He glanced down and saw that it was Steph. “You’re starting to frown.” she let out.
“Your eyebrows are frowning too.” Steph pouted. And Jason amusedly huffed, he willed his furrowing eyebrows to relax and grasped the blonde’s wrist to gently pull it away.
There’s a hint of worry written in her features, and Jason smiled at her concern. “I’m fine,” he assured her. “Just thinking, nothing too bad.”
The two of them have fully stopped walking now.
Stephanie let out an examining hmmm. She looked at Jason, and then her eyes widened a bit. It was Jason’s turn to worry. He suddenly became conscious but realized that the blonde’s surprised expression wasn’t direct at him, but above him.
Jason raised his head up and oh .
They’re at the edge of the park now and as if on cue, Dick giddily chirped out loud, just a couple paces from them. “ Ohhh Jason and Steph are under a mistletoe~”
Thank god for the cold. Jason’s sure that without it, he wouldn’t be able to have something to blame his incoming blush on. He let out a scowl at Dick’s direction.
Dick paid Jason’s displeased expression no mind and continued to dutifully push Bab’s wheelchair, complaining on why they didn’t pass under a mistletoe themselves. The redhead simply patted his hand to comfort him, an amused smile on her face. The pair, along with Damian and Duke, continued walking. Tim and Cass stayed put to wait for Jason and Stephanie.
The tree behind Jason has a mistletoe tied on one of its branches. The branch that’s coincidentally just above him and Stephanie.
Stephanie bit her lower lip in embarrassment and Jason awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “So uhhh,” he trailed off. “Yeah,” Steph finally breathed in awareness after a beat, the implication of the small plant hanging above them bearing more weight than it has any right to.
“How do you wanna go with this?” he finally asked the blonde, first and foremost wanting to make sure that she’s comfortable.
Tim and Cass were not too far behind. And although they can’t hear the suddenly bashful pair, Tim loudly teased them. “Any time now, you two!”
Cass simply giggled and shot her friends a pair of thumbs-up. The encouragement did not meet the flustered pair though. Both are reluctant, added with the pressure of Tim and Cass not too far from them just waiting , it made them all the more unsure on how to proceed.
The blonde breathed in to center herself. After she’s able to lightly calm her rapidly beating heart, she lets her crystal blue eyes rise up to meet his shy gaze. Neither of them pictured they’d be in a situation like this. To have their first kiss because it was prompted by some holiday plant. Not that either of them thought about kissing each other before. Totally not.
Stephanie won’t lie about Jason’s looks though. He’s an attractive guy. Tall, dark, and handsome; and a lot more other traits in between that just makes him easy to like. The little ways he shows his affection and support for her and the others without voicing them, because action really does speak louder than words. And when he does use his words, sure they’re not the most heartfelt, but they’re always genuine.
“Do you mind leaning down a little bit, big guy?” Steph softly teased. She’s nervous, that much is true, but she’s trying to lighten up the mood. Maybe it’s more for her, but Jason still appreciates her tone.
In all honesty, she never thought she’d have an actual chance to kiss him. And the same can be said with Jason’s thoughts for her. There’s attraction that budded, some attachment too thanks to their growing friendship; but the thought of being romantically linked to one another hasn’t been considered as a possibility by either of them till now.
Maybe it’s the Christmas spirit or some shit like that, but who’s Jason to deny a kiss from Steph when they’re already there. Set-up under the cold winter night sky, a mistletoe just above them. The light coming from the moon and the lamp post near them frames her features in the sweetest way he’s ever seen her so far. It’s cheesy, corny, literally every word synonymous to it that’s basically the trademark of every romcom Hallmark holiday movie… but it’s nice . It’s something he can easily remember and hold close to his heart. Even if she won’t, he’ll remember it for the both of them.
Jason grinned at her, a tender look in his eyes. “You got it, blondie.”
He carefully leaned down, enough for Stephanie to reach him. His lips parted a little bit, his eyes about to completely close. He held his breath in anticipation, and Steph’s left hand trailed down and innocently squeezed his wrist for balance as she tiptoed to meet him halfway. But the blonde’s lips didn’t meet his own.
Instead, her lips landed by the side of his mouth. Giving him a chaste kiss. His jaw tensed a bit, and she almost pulled away just as quickly. She thought he was uncomfortable but in reality, Jason was a nervous wreck. But then leaned in a bit more and his lips closed, and Steph swore she could feel him smile against her.
It didn’t last long, perhaps it was only just a couple of seconds, but Jason noticed that there’s a thoughtful look that passed in her half-lidded eyes when he took a small peek. As if she’s contemplating doing it again. And man does he want her to. It was only short and light, but Jason knows he’ll think about this moment more than he should in the future.
Steph timidly pulled away and tucked a hair behind her ear, she gazed at her side so she wouldn't have to make eye contact with him. “There we go.”
“It’s your turn now, Jason!” Tim yelled at them, an excited grin on his face and Cass being ever supportive of him but not wanting to further make Stephanie feel embarrassed, raised her hands to cover her giggles.
Jason’s tempted to strangle Tim. “You don’t give two kisses under a mistletoe-”
“Yeah but the rule is ‘two people kiss each other’.” Steph thinks she’s so smooth making it seem like it was a lips-to-lips type of kiss. Tim didn’t voice that thought out loud though. But he’s certain that if it was a direct kiss on the lips, the two of them would have stayed a little longer. With how entertained Cass seems, Tim knows she agrees with him. “Steph kissed you, so now it’s your turn to kiss her.”
Jason let a low growl that the younger man laughed at.
Tim waved them off, “Fine we’ll go and leave you to it.” Cass happily linked her arm with Tim’s as they walked away. “You two just follow up after you’re done.”
“Never thought, Timmy, was a stickler for something as small as ‘technicalities of mistletoe rules’.” Jason admitted and Stephanie giggled. He’s glad that she seems more at ease now after the small statement.
“Come here.” Jason whispered. It was so quiet that Steph thought she heard him wrong. She figured he wouldn’t insert himself to a second round just because Tim made them, but Jason willingly did. When Steph looked at him, she’s glad that she has enough control to not melt right then and there from how warm he made her feel with the confess written all over his face just for her.
“May I?” He tentatively asked her, the blonde nodded to give him permission.
Slowly but surely, Jason raised his hands to cup both of Steph’s cheeks and let his thumb quickly caress them to give her some semblance of comfort. With no audience this time, he’s less worried at what the others would think. He leaned forward and planted a loving kiss by the blonde’s forehead. It was chaste as the kiss she gave, but there’s something more personal about this second kiss.
Even when Jason pulled away, he still let his hands stay where they were. Both kisses were intended to be friendly, at least that was both their goal. Which is why Steph only kissed the corner of his mouth and Jason kissed her forehead. Deep down, despite that they mutually agreed to share kiss(es) just because they’re under the presence of a mistletoe, there’s a small recognition that it’s a bit more than just a friendly gesture.
“Merry Christmas, Jason.” Stephanie finally greeted him for the night. The two shared an adoring smile at each other.
“Merry Christmas, sunshine.” Jason lowly let out as if he’s emphasizing that it’s only for Steph.
“Dawww,” Stephanie cooed out in appreciation. Jason internally panicked and almost took back the new nickname but Stephanie continued. “You finally said it back.”
He was about to ask her to elaborate but then it clicked in. It was the first time tonight that he actually said it back. When he was greeted by the others, he only acknowledges it and wishes the same for them. Right back at yah to Babs and Yeah, you too to Cass. Before the girls came in, it was the same format with Dick and Duke.
He nonchalantly shrugged, not wanting to overthink what that could imply. “Well, I guess I’m starting to feel lil’ festive now.”
“But we do have to go back to the manor,” she reminded him. She giggled and added, “let’s go, big guy.”
Steph made Jason drop his hands but held on to his wrist behind her so she could tug on him to follow her. Jason, for his part, is more than happy and willing to trail right behind her as they walk their way back to the manor.
___________________________________
“Just saw some incredible things today.” Bruce explained himself for the surprise group hug he initiated. “It really put me in the holiday spirit.”
Stephanie has this wistful look on her face, tugging something oddly sentimental in Jason when he sees the unfiltered happiness in her smile. And Jason gets it.
Alfred came in with a camera and urged everyone to huddle up for a family Christmas photo, to which everyone cooperated.
Jason went by the back considering he’s one of the tallest members, just beside Dick, and gently led Stephanie to be at his front. His hand on her hip. There’s an odd satisfaction that bloomed in his chest with how Stephanie naturally rolled with his lead, almost as if on instinct. Her hand went behind Damian’s back, and subtly had the boy be in front of her instead of just floating beside the group.
It’s what Stephanie does best , Jason thought to himself, can make anyone feel included and welcomed.
“Must have been something pretty special.” Jason absentmindedly mentioned, a small acknowledgement on what Bruce said earlier.
“It was.” Bruce confirmed, a genuine smile on his face.
And click, Alfred captured the group’s happy expression. Letting out a content “perfect” as he regarded the photo he took.